Game of Legends
by MillenniumFox
Summary: Mewtwo has risen again, and only the Champion can stop him from uniting the legendary Pokémon to destroy the human race. Torn in a love triangle between two close friends and the past he is only just discovering, can Ash step up as the chosen Champion to stop Mewtwo? Advanceshipping vs Pearlshipping, Ikarishipping, and some other ships too.


**Hello anyone reading,**

**Quick disclaimer- on the odd chance that any of you recognise this story, this is a rewrite of an old fanfic I wrote on another account, but will also be quite different. I didn't steal this story, I wrote it in the first place!**

**Obviously I don't own Pokemon, and this is all just for fun.**

**The characters are supposed to be older than they are in the show, so they'll be a little OOC. Also, I haven't watched the Advanced series or D&P in almost 8 years, so remembering the Pokémon they had and where abouts they'd be proved a bit difficult, so forgive me if I get something wrong and feel free to call me out too.**

**Also, this story plays out as though May didn't go to visit Ash already (when she participated in the festival with Dawn) so pretend that didn't happen.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

May leaned bravely against the railings of the ferry. It was cold outside, but she was bored of sitting inside and waiting. Besides, her Pokémon needed some fresh air too. She glanced sideways at Blaziken and Glaceon, wondering if they'd be just as excited to see Ash as she was going to be. It hadn't even been a year, but she missed him more than she ever could have imagined. Sure, travelling with Drew was fun (even if he was a little annoying at times), but nothing compared to travelling with Ash, and she still didn't understand why. She just knew she wanted to see him again, if only for a little while. A million thoughts swirled around her mind; who was he travelling with? Was he doing well? Which Pokémon had he caught?

She felt a cold nuzzle on her leg and bent to stroke Glaceon's head. "Guess we'll find out soon, huh?" She said, mainly to herself. Glaceon purred into her hand.

A clap of thunder almost had her falling back onto the deck in shock. The dark clouds had gathered so quickly she hadn't even noticed them. She peered up, but not for long as rain began splashing down heavily onto her face. Squealing a little, she grabbed her pokéballs and returned her playing Pokémon. They might not have minded a little rain, but she wasn't dressed for a storm, so she followed the crowd of people racing back inside. She waited a moment for the crowd to get through the door, and was wetter than she'd liked to have been.

"Attention all passengers," a woman's voice called through the speakers around the hallway. "Due to extreme weather conditions, we highly recommend you remain inside the ship and tie down all fragile personal belongings. While rough seas might make the rest of the journey unpleasant, we ask that you remain calm for the remainder of the journey."

_That bad, huh? _May didn't really have any things in her room but headed there anyway. She could just sleep for the rest of the journey. It was probably only a couple more hours. As she made her way down the hallway to the stairs, the ship started swaying noticeably, so she kept a hand on the wall to balance herself. A number of other people were doing the same thing.

Once she was in her room, she called out Skitty to keep her company. Skitty was a little anxious to say the least, and maybe it would have been less selfish to keep her in her ball, but the weather was getting worse, and now she could hear people running around outside, and staff calming people down. She'd heard one woman call it the worst storm she'd ever seen, and commented that she didn't think they'd make it to Sinnoh. She held Skitty close to her chest as she sat on the edge of her bed and waited for it to pass. For some reason, in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the awful feeling that something terrible was going to happen.

* * *

Ash leaned back on the log he was sitting on. Dawn mirrored him. Brock's stew always tasted so good that he couldn't help but eat until he felt sick. Dawn was merely copying him so it looked like she'd managed to eat a lot too, but he knew she hadn't. He smirked over at her.

"You couldn't eat as much as me if you tried, Dawn."

She scoffed, turning away from him. "I wouldn't bet on that, Ash. Just because I'm a girl… In fact, I'll remember that for next time Brock cooks."

Brock turned around to face them from where he was piling up the dishes. "How much am I gonna have to make?" He asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Ash laughed. They were on their way to Sunyshore City, and had to be getting pretty close too. After a moment, Dawn commented that she was going to collect some water for them all from a stream they were close to, and skipped off with Piplup. Truth be told, Ash felt awkward alone with Brock, but only because the night before, while Dawn slept a safe distance away, Ash had admitted that he thought he might have a crush on her.

It was a strange feeling, and he wasn't sure he understood it himself, but he felt something nonetheless. Brock had simply laughed and said that it was part of growing up, and it was completely normal. The only weird thing was that Ash was now seventeen, and this was his first time experiencing it. Ash didn't bother correcting him by saying he thought he'd experienced it before with one of their other travelling companions, because that was in the past now… But this time, Ash couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he said something about it to Dawn. The very thought made him shudder noticeably.

"Still caught up on what we talked about last night, huh?" Brock scared him out of his daze. Brock probably wasn't the best person to give relationship advice- the man was twenty three and every attempt he'd made with a female had backfired or just completely failed. Still, it was better than any other alternative, including Dawn herself. If he asked her anything about it, she'd know he was talking about her. There was no one else it could be.

Ash shrugged in response after a long moment of stillness. "I guess. It's just…" He felt his face warming and knew he was blushing. "She's real pretty, right?"

Brock chuckled, heating his cheeks up even further. "Wow, this really has caught me by surprise, Ash. Who knew you actually cared about something other than Pokémon?"

"I've cared about all of our friends," he answered defensively.

"I'm only kidding." Brock laid a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to be so tense. It'll be better if you tell her, trust me. Even being let down nicely, which she would do, is better than bottling it up forever."

"Do you think she will?" He asked quietly, keeping his head down. Brock tilted his head in clear confusion. "Do you think she'll let me down, I mean?"

Brock failed to hide his smirk. "I can't say for sure, but… I think she might like you too."

The thought made butterflies rise in his chest and stomach for a long moment. He didn't think Brock would say that if he didn't truly think it and give him false hope. _Maybe I should say something…_

Right on cue, Dawn reappeared with their water bottles, Piplup sitting on her shoulder eating a berry it had found. Pikachu mewed inquisitively, and Dawn tossed a berry its way, earning a very happy "chaaa" as it dug in. Just another thing Ash admired about Dawn- she was always thinking about his Pokémon as well as hers.

"Thanks Dawn." Brock took his bottle from Dawn, and she turned to pass Ash his. He was sweating from nerves, and almost felt like he was going to throw up, but decided it was better to get it over with.

"Hey, Dawn… I was wondering, er…" He stammered, looking everywhere but in her direction. Dawn waited, staring confusedly at him for what seemed like forever. He was sure Brock would be trying not to snicker as he cleaned up their camp. He swallowed hard, but a lump seemed to catch in his throat.

Before he could carry on speaking, which he convinced himself he was going to do, the sound of a vehicle caught their attention. They weren't far from the road, and through the trees they could see Officer Jenny flying down it. Ash quickly ran over as she slowed down for them. Dawn followed close behind, Piplup in her arms.

"Is everything all right?" Dawn called out as the other bluenette came to a stop beside them. Officer Jenny seemed a little panicked to say the least. Brock must have noticed too, since he wasn't trying to flirt yet.

"You guys need to hurry on to Sunyshore City as fast as you can," she said breathlessly. "There's a huge storm approaching the coast at a ridiculous speed. Anyone caught out in it… Well, I don't know."

"A storm?" Ash asked. He turned to Dawn just as she turned to him, looking as confused as him. "There wasn't a storm forecast, right Brock?"

Brock, who had made a habit to check the weather before they set off from the last Pokémon Centre, nodded. Officer Jenny sighed, and seemed to look around to make sure there weren't any other trainers on the road.

"We don't know where this storm came from, it just appeared out of nowhere miles off the coast and started approaching us fast. The rainfall… Well, we fear if it doesn't die down a little, it may cause extreme flooding. The thunderstorms are dangerous too. You all need to get inside right away."

"We will, officer," Brock promised. Luckily, they were probably only a few miles from the city. Waving goodbye to Jenny, they rushed off to pack up their things and leave.

* * *

May was almost sick by the time they reached Sunyshore City. She'd almost thrown up several times on the boat, and even as she stepped off and everyone rushed around her, she felt no better. She had recalled Skitty, not wanting it to get wet in the rain, but there was nothing to protect her. She had no idea where the Pokemon Centre was, and people were running off in all directions, probably to hotels they had pre-booked. There weren't really any trainers on board, as the Sinnoh league wasn't far off, so there would be no point in starting a journey here now, really. Most people would have at least six badges. Scanning the horizon, May shivered in her already soaked clothes. Thunder crashed above her, so loud she swore she could feel the ground shake underneath her. She wanted to cry, but she wouldn't. She simply needed to ask someone, but…

There was no one around. Or so she thought, until she spotted a boy running on the other side of the street.

"Hey!" She called, waving her arms in the air. He stopped, his face expressionless as he turned to her. He too was soaked, and his purple hair was stuck to his face and in his eyes. She felt his impatience, but she would have been impatient too if someone had stopped her in the rain like that. "Sorry," she apologised, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes and smiling. "I was just wondering if you knew the way to the Pokémon Centre?" She gestured to the ferry in the dock behind them. It likely wouldn't move until the storm died. "I just arrived here."

"Follow me," he said, and ran off again. A little startled, May gathered herself and ran to keep up with him. He turned down a few blocks, and then she could see it in the distance. She could have cried with relief, but kept her composure until they ran inside, and she almost collapsed. The guy had stopped beside her, and she felt embarrassed to be bent over catching her breath while he seemed fine.

"You okay?" He asked. She stood up straight. She supposed she looked awful- her clothes were literally stuck to her body the same way her hair was plastered to her cheeks. The rain even dripped from the end of her nose, but she forced a smile and nodded. He gave one nod back. "Good. You should get a room." He began walking to the stairs. He must've already booked a room.

_Strange. Guess some people just aren't very social._

"Wait," she called before he could get far. He turned. "What's your name?"

He paused for a second and seemed to inspect her, making her slightly uncomfortable, since her wet clothes were making everything, including her curves, more visible, but he didn't seem interested in that. "Paul." He stuck out his hand, and she hesitantly shook it.

"May."

He smiled. Or tried to. "Nice to meet you."

She needed someone to show her where she was going and help her get her bearings before she could find Ash. She'd figured he'd at least be close to this gym, and there was a ferry travelling here too, so it seemed like a good place to start. She was soaking, though, and really needed a shower.

"I could really use someone to help me figure out where I'm going." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Wanna meet up tomorrow, when we're, um, dry?"

He shrugged. "Sure. Time?"

She blinked. That easy? She smiled. "Ten?"

Paul nodded. "See you then, May." He gave her a wave as he turned and walked off.

May got a room. Once she was inside she peeled off her wet clothes and jumped in the shower. The lights were flickering as the storm raged on outside, and she wanted to be done before they went out completely. It was almost dark outside too, and she wasn't too keen on being stuck in the dark in the shower.

* * *

Ash and Dawn were sat silently in their room while Brock showered next door. They had just beat the storm- it was raining, not even five minutes after they ran through the doors of the Pokémon Centre. While Ash had convinced himself that he had the guts to tell Dawn he might like her, he was kinda relieved that Jenny had showed up and stopped him. Maybe he wasn't ready to say something like that, after all. Besides, he knew once the Sinnoh League was over, he would return home and Dawn would do the same, then they'd follow their own paths to different regions.

"What are you thinking about?" Dawn leaned in front of him, blocking his view of the floor which he'd been staring at for the last five minutes.

"Huh?" He jumped a little. "Oh, nothing."

She sat beside him. In the corner of the room, Piplup slept beside Pikachu where they'd cuddled up to hide from the storm. "You're not usually this quiet. Worried about the storm, or the Pokémon League?"

They were good guesses, but she couldn't know how wrong she was. Of course, the Pokémon League was always going to come first when he'd already worked so hard to earn the seven badges he had, but this new feeling… well, it was all-consuming right now.

"Both," he lied and gave a reassuring smile.

"No need to worry." Dawn beamed. "The storm will pass, and you're gonna do great in the League, Ash."

"Thanks, Dawn." He smiled as she stood again and went to get her stuff ready for bed. The storm meant they couldn't leave, and the electricity would undoubtedly cut off soon from it too, so they would probably go to bed early, even though this meant Ash would be lying alone with his own thoughts.

* * *

May's sleep had been restless. She was plagued with dreams that were memories of Johto and Drew, and not the good ones… Truthfully, she hadn't just left because she missed Ash, but tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind so she could hide from them. She was yawning and rubbing her eyes when Paul appeared in her line of sight, his hands stuck in the pockets of his jeans nonchalantly, his expression still pretty blank. Maybe he was smiling a little, she supposed.

"Hey," she greeted a little awkwardly. He nodded at her. "So I saw this ice cream place down the street, maybe we could go there? I'm really grateful that you're helping me out, by the way."

"No problem." He did smile this time, but it almost seemed strained, like he wasn't used to it. Brushing it off, May followed him to the parlour which he must have already known about. It wasn't busy at all- not many people were out for ice cream on a wet day like this. The storm was a lot calmer today, but the winds and the rain were still going strong. May didn't mind that she was a little bit soaked when they got there. It was her fault for not bringing a coat with her, and Paul had already seen her like that yesterday anyway.

May ordered a pretty big chocolate sundae for herself, and Paul didn't comment on how much that was for one person, which she liked. She wasn't about to order something small just to look nicer in front of a stranger after all. Paul ordered a much smaller one, but he was eating it super slowly, so they would probably finish at the same time.

May was asking questions between mouthfuls. She learned that he was a trainer currently in the city to earn his final gym badge before the League, and that he was the same age as her. Getting more personal stuff felt like a chore, so she'd given up. Paul really seemed like a closed book, and she didn't want to push him too far.

"Are you a trainer too?" He finally asked a question about her.

"I'm a coordinator," May said proudly. "I was just earning ribbons in Johto before I came here."

He tilted his head a little. "Seems a little late to come for the Sinnoh Grand Festival, especially if you also have Johto ribbons already?" It was definitely a question, and May supposed it was time to admit what she was here for.

"Well, actually…" She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I'm here because my travelling partner in Johto made things a little awkward for us, so I needed a break." She sucked in a breath. "Plus, an old friend of mine is travelling Sinnoh, and I was hoping I could find him."

"Couldn't you just call him?" It was a straightforward question, and May still saw no noticeable emotional response. She shook her head.

"He moves around too much, I never know where he is, and I wanted it to be a surprise anyway."

Paul shrugged. "What's so awkward about your other travelling partner?"

May winced. That was an awkward question and a touchy subject to say the least. She'd barely let herself think about what had happened just a week ago in Johto with Drew, never mind telling anyone about it. The truth was, Drew had confessed to her. She'd had thoughts about him in the past, sure, but it had never come to anything, and if she had any slight feelings for him, they fizzled out. She had let him down gently, but Drew had taken it to heart and grew distant from her quickly. She figured he needed the space to sort out his own head, and she needed to find where hers was at too. She needed to know if something was there with Ash still, and if there ever was anything for him. She wasn't sure how she was going to approach the subject, if she could even make herself do it, but she had to try.

"It's a long story," she said, dodging the question. "Don't you travel with anybody?"

Paul shook his head. "Other people would just slow me down."

May raised an eyebrow. Paul seemed cynical to say the least. Surely he got lonely travelling on his own? "But you must have a rival, right?" She asked, shovelling a spoonful of sundae into her mouth.

"Sure, I guess. He can't keep up with me though."

"Confident," May noted. "I like it."

"He has a girl travelling with him that really annoys me, though," he blurted, looking away suddenly. May could see the anger that spread across his face and wondered what this girl could have done to make him so mad. She paused for a moment, unsure whether she should probe for answers or not.

"What's so annoying about her?"

"I don't know…" He trailed off, still not looking back at May. He was acting strange. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. The guy's a pussy." She winced at his language, and arrogance. "I'll stomp him in the league, if he gets his last badge."

"Sure…" She wanted to bring up Ash, see if he knew him, then go on her way. She sensed that Paul was eager to move too. "Hey, listen, I-"

She was cut off by the screaming that erupted nearby. Paul nearly jumped out of his seat, instantly searching for what was causing the fuss out of the window, but it must have been another street. May hopped out of her seat and gestured for Paul to follow.

"C'mon, let's go!" She ran out, leaving her food behind, and Paul followed close behind. As soon as they left, they saw multiple police officers rushing up the street, and glanced inquisitively at Paul.

"That's in the direction of the town square," Paul answered her silent question and glanced back at her. "Let's go."

They followed the officers for a couple of blocks. May struggled to keep up with Paul, but he held back for her. It wasn't long before they saw what probably caused all of the fuss, and it almost knocked the air out of May's lungs. A gigantic Pokémon in the air, though it was flying away now. As it flew overhead, the gust of air almost blew her over, but Paul caught her elbow and kept her upright.

"What was that?" she asked breathlessly. Paul seemed lost for words, and she didn't blame him. The Pokémon was gigantic- possibly the biggest she'd ever seen.

"That was Dialga." He muttered. "A legendary Pokémon- the creator of time itself."

May twisted her face. "Surely… Surely not, right?"

He turned to face her, his face gravely serious. "I promise you, that was Dialga." Down the street, they could still hear a lot of fuss, and people were rushing past them to find out what had happened. Paul nodded in the direction. "Come on."

* * *

Dawn had wanted to go to the town square fairly early in the morning, and hadn't given Brock or Ash much of a choice. There was a market on, and Dawn was convinced she was going to find a cute outfit to wear, and well… Ash found it hard to say no to her. He told himself that he would lose Brock at some point, and finally tell Dawn how he was feeling. He'd even put some effort into his hair for once.

They were there now, strolling through the square, watching Dawn hop between stalls and fuss over stuff they knew she wasn't going to buy. While she was ahead, Ash figured he'd ask Brock to give them some alone time.

"I'm gonna tell her today," He admitted as they walked in silence. Brock raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I mean it."

"Alright, and I'm guessing you want me to disappear for a while?"Ash smiled sheepishly, and Brock laughed. "No worries. I'll catch you guys at the main fountain in what, half an hour? Longer?"

If Ash gave himself a strict time limit, he knew he was more likely to do it, so he nodded. "Half an hour is fine. Thanks Brock."

Brock winked as he backed off and wandered away into the crowd. It wasn't long until Dawn turned and noticed he was gone and came skipping back to Ash's side. Ash smiled as she approached. "See anything you like?"

"Plenty." She grinned. "Where did Brock go?"

"He saw some breeders stall that he wanted to check out, and there was a lady there too…" He rubbed the back of his head, hoping she wouldn't see through his lie, but she just scoffed.

"Typical." She turned back to the stall she'd just been stood at. "Is there anything you want to look at? I don't want to drag you around with me the whole time."

"Nah, I don't mind." He smiled. "Look at whatever you want."

"There was some really cute pins over here, actually," she said, gesturing to the last stall she'd been to. Ash wandered over. The hair pins were shaped like Pokémon, and the one her eyes were locked on was Piplup. It was absolutely perfect for her. It matched her hair and everything.

"Hey," Ash called the vendor over. "Can I get that one?"

Dawn had turned to him, absolutely astonished, her mouth hanging open, but he didn't dare look at her as the guy wrapped it up and he paid for it. He didn't even want to face her after. She was just blinking at him.

"You bought that for me?" She asked in disbelief. He nodded, handing her it. She immediately unwrapped it, turning it in her fingers for a second before pulling her hat off, sliding out her yellow clips and sliding the Piplup clip on one side. It looked so perfect on her, Ash couldn't help but grin. Dawn rubbed her eyes, and Ash noticed she'd teared up a little. He looked away quickly, feeling his face heat up. The last thing he needed now was for her to see him blush.

"Thank you, Ash. I love it." She tucked her yellow clips and hat inside her bag. It was strange to see her with her hair that way, but she suited it, and he loved it.

"No problem." He suddenly became so nervous he could have thrown up. His heart raced in his chest and he thought of what to say next. "Wanna sit for a bit?" He gestured to bench in a quiet spot just off the square. She nodded, and he led the way, each step feeling heavier. He was sure he was going to faint from the nerves, but made it, and sat stiffly and awkwardly as she sat beside him.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, looking him up and down. "You seem a little shaken."

_Shit, she noticed. _"Um…" He looked away. "I just wanted to say something but you're making me really nervous staring at me like that."

Dawn looked confused for just a moment, then giggled and looked away, covering her eyes with her hands. "Well alright, I'm not looking." Ash noticed her sliding closer to him on the bench a little. "Whatever it is, you can say."

"I don't think it's anything you're expecting," he said, finally looking at her now that she was looking away. Their legs were almost touching, and he wanted to move that inch closer, just so they'd have some contact. He hated himself for even thinking it. "Promise you won't laugh at me."

She dropped her hands, facing him again, and he hated that he could barely look at her from the nerves. She looked more serious now. She probably thought he was going to admit something embarrassing about himself, and well… He was. "I promise. I wouldn't laugh."

Brock had given him so much advice, but he knew he shouldn't follow it, looking at Brock's luck with women. Brock had told him to just tell her, and see how she reacted, but she was so close to his face, and all he wanted was to kiss her. He wasn't even sure he knew how to, he just knew he wanted to. He had wanted to for a while. He'd had this feeling before, and he'd left it, and then she was gone. He couldn't let Dawn get away too. His heart almost leapt out of his chest as he felt her knee brush against his. It was deliberate. He'd been silent for a little too long, and she was trying to comfort him. The feeling of her leg against his…

He prayed it wasn't too bold. He was in too deep to stop now as he began to lean into her. He didn't want to fly in. He wanted to give her time to back away if she wanted, but… She didn't. He heard her exhale quickly, almost like a gasp, and she placed her hand on his leg. It had only been a second, but it felt like a lifetime, until he noticed she was leaning into him too…

Their moment was ruined just a split second before their lips met by a chorus of screams. Dawn sprung away, desperate to see what was causing the commotion, her arm slung over the back of the bench, already ready to run. It took Ash a moment to snap out of the trance she'd put him in, then the panic sank in fast. He turned quickly, and his heart sank into his stomach.

It was Dialga, and it was staring right back at him.


End file.
